The Staten Island Academy junior did his best impersonation of a wall Sunday at the College of Staten Island, returning almost anything that the powerful Josh Williams fired his way, en route to a 6-3, 6-2 victory in the S.I. Interscholastics Tennis Tournament singles championship.

It is the third straight year Auteri has captured the crown, and the second consecutive time he's denied Williams. Williams won't get a third chance, since he's a senior at St. Peter's. But Auteri can become the first four-time boys' champion next year.

With the match on serve at 3-2 Auteri in the first set, Williams began to be haunted by unforced errors during his service game. At 15-0, he had Auteri dead but hit a forehand long. The same scenario played out on the next point, with a Williams volley at the net going wide. Two points later, he hit a forehand long. Williams staved off two game points against and he even earned a game point, but a wide backhand, a long forehand and a double fault gave Auteri the break and a 4-2 edge.

"I was so off my game today, but Chris played great," said Williams, who is headed to Seton Hall in the fall. "I just didn't get the chance to have a rhythm. He played consistent. My game is to attack, but because I was off I couldn't."

Serving for the first set at 5-3, Auteri played Houdini after falling behind 0-40. After three errant Williams forehands produced a deuce, Auteri double faulted to give the advantage to his opponent. But another long Williams forehand was followed by a little bit of luck for Auteri, whose volley clipped the net cord and fell over for a 6-3 set win.

Williams was broken on four straight points in the first game of the second set, giving Auteri an edge he would never relinquish, as he jumped out to a 5-1 lead.

Williams stayed in the match with a perfect service game to climb to within 5-2, as it showed how dangerous he could be. Ultimately, however, it was Auteri's ability to return those howitzers along with his skill in chasing down balls on the baseline and enduring long rallies successfully that proved to be the difference.

"Josh is huge, he's bigger and stronger than me," Auteri said. "If I try to go shot for shot with him, I probably lose. So I had to try and neutralize his hard hitting by keeping him out on the court and making him hit one extra ball. Every time a rally went over five points, I knew I would have the advantage."

Serving at 5-2, Auteri went up 40-0. But Williams showed his heart by staving off those three match points and even earned two game points of his own. But on the fifth match point, a service winner by Auteri gave him the crown.